Friday, April 15, 2011

Some officials to get major back pay

A few days ago I wrote a story about some state-mandated pay raises 12 Knox County elected officials. (You can read the masterpiece right smack here.)

What I didn't get into, however, was that three fee officers actually get some retroactive coin.

A lot.

I didn't have the space.

But I do now.

So, here's the deal:

Officials with the six fee offices – criminal court clerk, circuit court clerk, clerk and masters, trustee, register of deeds and county clerk – are supposed to get paid the same now. That would be $106,906.

Good money.

But the three judiciary office holders – Criminal Court Clerk Joy McCroskey, Circuit Court Clerk Cathy Quist and Clerk and Master Howard Hogan – get an additional 10 percent because they also have additional court responsibilities.

Or something like that. I can't remember.

The issue is that they essentially all have the $106,906 base. Or they should now that the county's population increased. (It's a state thing. Just click on that initial link to the story if you need to know more.)

They're all going to get that now, if they don't already have it.

But there's a catch.

Three officers – Register of Deeds Sherry Witt, Quist and Hogan – weren't paid what they were supposed to get under this formula, which is retroactive to last April.

So, they all sent notes to the mayor, payroll, the law director, whoever the heck will hear them out.

And they're going to get their money. One big lump sum.

Witt is down for $22,493. Here is her letter of request.McCroskey gets $21,501.67. Here is her letter of request.Hogan also should get $21,501.67. Here is his letter of request.

Yes, all of this is legal. The real question is why the others were making a higher class of pay. Nothing said they couldn't. But, they probably should have received less pay prior to the county's population jump.

In the meantime, the administration – never afraid to weigh in – had some thoughts.

“They're entitled to it, but it's an odd time to ask for $22,000 in back pay,” said administration Chief of Staff Dean Rice, taking a shot and reminding everyone just how much some folks want more control over the fee office budgets.

the glass is usually half empty

My name is Mike Donila and I'm a reporter with WBIR in Knoxville, TN. I cover government. All politics is local, and mostly ridiculous. Travis Fain of Lucid Idiocy said that. He's a smart guy. This is my blog. The content ranges.